A Spike-based Computer Architecture for Sensory Processing

0541241 PI：John G.哈里斯佛罗里达大学一个基于尖峰的感觉处理计算机架构PI将开发，研究和建立一个基于神经元尖峰（或动作电位）的神经生物学启发的架构。拟议的架构结合了以前的尖峰为基础的感觉处理的PI开发的想法与一个引人注目的大脑计算模型称为液态机（LSM）。该模型提供了一个概念框架，用于使用生物现实的脉冲神经元模型（整合和激发神经元）作为递归非线性架构内的基本计算元素。PI提出了三个关键步骤来开发对计算有用的尖峰处理元素网络：1。PI将开发一种采样理论，用于将连续变量输入转换为非周期性尖峰序列（并同样将尖峰序列转换回连续幅度信号）。虽然很有趣，但一旦更好地理解了计算的特性，LSM的体系结构就可以得到很大的改进。特别是，虽然液体的互连是任意的和固定的，PI计划为这种基于尖峰的表示开发一种适应理论。PI将把基于尖峰的架构映射到今天的硅电子器件。这种混合模拟/数字架构与传统的数字架构和过去的模拟计算设备都有根本的不同。然而，所提出的架构将是唯一的科学兴趣，如果它不能建立有竞争力的性能指标，在计算能力，功耗，抗噪性和动态范围。因此，为了在硅中设计架构，PI将确定关键的计算原理，设计信号转换，并使用CMOS技术中大量足够小的组件制造最终的构建模块。最后，为了使理论研究和设计在工程实践中扎根，PI建议使用现成的电子鼻（或电子鼻）作为前端开发一个化学传感原型系统。选择此应用程序是因为它在国土安全中的重要性，也因为它为所提出的基于尖峰的架构提供了自然的输入。

0541241PI: John G. HarrisUniversity of FloridaA Spike-Based Computer Architecture for Sensory ProcessingThe PIs will develop, study, and build a neurobiologically inspired architecture based on neuronal spikes (or action potentials). The proposed architecture combines previous spike-based sensory processing ideas developed by the PIs with a compelling model of brain computation called the Liquid State Machine (LSM). This model provides a conceptual framework for working with biologically realistic pulsed neuron models (integrate-and-fire neurons) as the basic computational element within a recurrent nonlinear architecture. The PIs propose three key steps for developing networks of spiking processing elements that are useful for computation: 1. The PIs will develop a sampling theory for converting continuous variable inputs into aperiodic spike trains (and likewise transform spikes trains back to continuous amplitude signals).2. Although interesting, the architecture of the LSM can be largely improved once the characteristics of the computation are better understood. In particular, while the interconnect of the liquid is arbitrary and fixed, the PIs plan to develop a theory of adaptation for such spike based representations.3. The PIs will map the spike-based architecture to todays silicon electronics. This hybrid analog/digital architecture is fundamentally different from both conventional digital architectures and past analog computing devices. However, the proposed architecture will be of only scientific interest if it cannot be built with competitive performance measures in terms of computational capability, power consumption, noise immunity and dynamic range. Therefore, in order to design the architecture in silicon, the PIs will identify key computational principles, design signal transformations, and fabricate the resulting building blocks with huge numbers of sufficiently small components in CMOS technology. Finally, in order to ground the theoretical research and design in engineering practice, the PIs propose to develop a prototype system for chemical sensing using an off-the-shelf electronic nose (or e-nose) as the front end. This application was chosen due to its importance in homeland security, and also because it provides a natural input to the proposed spike-based architecture.